Mr. John Lauchlin MacKinnon

John (also known as Jackie) had a fascinating fulfilling life, with an early retirement. He was predeceased by a wonderful wife, Frances (Campbell), 2012; two grandchildren, Calgarians Claire and Zack; brothers, Donald (from Dartmoth) and Sandy (from Yarmouth); a sister, Heather (from Colorado), who visited him in the West Coast in 2012; two daughters, Susan and Diane; and a bevy of Campbell in laws complements of Fran and her 15 siblings. He was also pre-deceased by a string of SPCA dogs or SPCA 'wanna bees'.

He attended St Mary’s University in Halifax where he was awarded the 1951 Journal Poll as:

“most liked student. John practiced law in Halifax with Hart, Cox, Donohoe, Palmeter, Rogers & MacKinnon after graduation from Dalhousie in 1954. L.”

He left Nova Scotia for Ontario in 1958 - likely the exodus to Ontario was to reunite Fran with some of her siblings who had moved to Sarnia from Cape Breton.

Practicing law in Ontario was not to his liking, so whether due to a need to educate inquiring minds or due to the 8 weeks of holidays a year, John became a Teacher - drawing on his years playing football at St. Mary’s, as a high school football coach. After a number of years teaching in places like Wawa, Aurora and Toronto he, along with Fran, also a teacher although trained as a nurse and likely with similar motives for her career change, retired from teaching when given the opportunity for a full pension in 1987 at only 56 years old. Still in Ontario, he began exploring the lakes of Ontario in his hand made cedar stripped canoes and tried unsuccessfully to master golf at the Aurora Highlands Golf Course, and more successfully to master homemade wine making.

Having run out of lakes and in search of better grape stock for his wine, he and Fran immigrated to Vancouver Island in 1989 where he continued building canoes and enjoyed paddling with the Nanaimo Paddlers. The Paddlers ventured far and wide including the Bowron Lake Chain, the Broken Islands, and a memorable Yukon River canoe trip that he enjoyed at close to 70 with Pierre Burton’s Klondike in hand and Happy Hours surprises tucked in the canoe. He continued to make wine and no one can forget his award winning Malamute Merlot named for his 140lb Malamute, Neiko.

John passed away on January 31, 2018 very peacefully and with a good dose of his beloved Latin still ringing in his ears compliments of Father Holland who stopped by that afternoon to give him the “Full Nanaimo” as Father Holland put it. He was spoiled by the wonderful staff at Crofton Manner and St. Jude’s Anglican Home over the last few years .

A service and celebration of his life will be held in the spring in Vancouver. You can email [email protected] to be notified of the particulars. In lieu of any flowers consider a modest donation to St. Jude’s Anglican Home in Vancouver at 810 West 27th Avenue Vancouver in his honour.